Timber Trade of Chinese Umpire. 655 



system of forestry practised by the Thibetans, under which they 

 sell stumpage to the Chinese contractors, marking the trees to be 

 cut by the contractor; in other words, a rough selection system. 

 Another forest region is on the steep headwaters of the streams 

 running to the coast in Fukien Province. Here, too, there is some 

 attempt at forest culture, practising clear cutting and planting. I 

 am reliably informed that this forest area is also decreasing — that 

 is, planting is not keeping pace with cutting. The rotation used 

 is a short one — generally 15 years and spruce is the most common 

 tree planted, according to my information. 



Outside of these sporadic attempts to keep the native woods in 

 producing condition, there are here and there plantations found on 

 waste lands. Especially the successful example of the Germans 

 at Kiautschou has found imitators in the neighborhood, several 

 mining and other companies and municipalities having begun the 

 work of reclamation. Near Mukden, where also a forest school 

 exists, the government has set aside some 25,000 acres for forest 

 planting and some 600 acres had been planted by 1910. The 

 Shantung Railway Company plants along its right of way, etc. 



The general government some years ago instituted a Com- 

 mission of three to investigate the cause of river floods and this 

 Commission recommended forest planting as one of the needs to 

 t-educe the floods ; but nothing resulted. 



Forestry courses — mostly very poor in charge of poorly adapted 

 Japanese — ^have been started in some of the agricultural colleges. 

 For the awakening of general interest in the subject of forestry a 

 Mr. Howard L. Richardson, Jr., deserves special mention for giv- 

 ing illustrated lectures, free of charge, under the auspices of the 

 Young Men's Christian Association in many parts of China. The 

 fit-st trained Chinese forester, Ngan Han, secured his education in 

 Cornell and Michigan, and has lately published the first elemen- 

 tary book on forestry. 



Considered from every point of view, the requirements of wood 

 and the cultural influence, including the profitable employment of 

 the unemployed — a serious problem in China, — a rational forest 

 policy will be of ever-increasing importance in the new China, 

 and, since the title to the wastelands is said to be vested in the 

 government, energetic eflForts for their reclamation may. be readily 

 begun. 



